I had a question about the mutate ability of the Master Chymist. It states that it works just like taking the mutagen.
Now my understanding is that each morning when the Alchemist makes his mutagen he decides which physical ability score he'll be improving and takes the corresponding mental damage (or vice versa for the cognatogen.)
But he can switch which physical ability score he wants to raise every time he makes a new mutagen.
Are the physical scores that get adjusted when the Chymist mutates into his alternate form fixed or do they change whenever the Chymist wants them too and uses a Mutate to do so?
For instance if the Chymist knew he needed dex and mutated into his alter-ego could he increase his strength instead of strength, despite primarily using strength as the normal score that gets adjusted?
Oh, follow-up question.... if an Alchemist Archetype like the Mind Chemist uses his Cognatogen as frequently as a normal Alchemist uses his mutagen, can he enter the prestige class with a super-mental alter ego?
if I remember correctly the ability scores are linked to the mutagen (a created item, not the ability)
the Master Chymist takes that item if he fails is Will save or whatever (as clarified in the FAQ), thus the Chymist gets the ability modifiers of the mutagen he has previously created.
If he has several mutagens, I believe he can choose. This isn't said explicitly, but in absence of the contrary it seems reasonable. (Only exception would be if the tame to provide one would be different for the several mutagens, then he would probably have to take the fastest one)
hope it helps
p.s. to the second question: I doubt so, but it wouldn't be a far fetch for your GM do decide differently. However growng fangs and loosing a will save don't make much sense if you get smarter afterwards, how would you feel if the Hulk transforms to Bruce Banner everytime he gets angry? Pretty senseless, eh?
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My understanding is when a Master Chymst uses his mutate ability he picks what ability he's boosting at the time he mutates. Tying it to his mutagen doesn't make a lot of sense since he doesn't even have to have a mutagen prepped to use his mutate ability.
As for MindChymst, Master Chymst prerequisites include:
Special: Mutagen class feature, feral mutagen or infuse mutagen discovery
So if you went Mind Chemist you would have to pick up the Mutagen Discovery (and Feral or Infuse) before entering the PrC. It also seems to me that most of the Mastr Chymst's class abilities are limited to mutagens only, for example you couldn't use the Mutate ability to use a cognatogen.
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I was actually being rather amused at the thought of Bruce Banner mutating into The Leader, to follow the analogy.
Finesse instead of Brutality swap Burly and Nimble so the Mutant gets Nimble and the Alchemist gets the Burly.
It was just an idea I was toying with.
Yes, from what I've seen there isn't any indication that the Mutation process isn't malleable. I'm playing a Master Chymist in a game right now and I've got a primary "custom" build which is focused on Strength and Con (and in another 2 levels the Dex'll boost too) So I was just curious if that "custom" build would be the one that came up unless he specifically made a mutagen to cause a different configuration.
I was also kind of surprised that the Master Chymist didn't have the option to get the Advanced Mutation Discovery:
True Mutagen: The alchemist’s mutagen now grants a +8 natural armor bonus and a +8 alchemical bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. The alchemist takes a –2 penalty to his Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma as long as the mutagen persists. An alchemist must possess the grand mutagen discovery before selecting this discovery.
Simply made available only to a Chymist with a character level of 20. Since it's a grand discovery only made available to Alchemists at 20th level doing so wouldn't make it broken in the least and it's the most logical outcome to the Prestige Class
I was actually being rather amused at the thought of Bruce Banner mutating into The Leader, to follow the analogy.
I had been playing with a similar idea: a nasty character mutating into a nigh-angelic creature. The problem is that the Master Chymist's write-up only mentions Mutagens, not Cognatogens. And the description of the Cognatogen Discovery doesn't say they work like Mutagens, just that they share the same limitations...
It's a concept that could work from an RP perspective though, even when the numbers aren't optimised. You may not get any Charisma bonuses from the Mutagen, but you can become another person; one more inclined to take command and do good.
I have a question about the Mutate ability, though it's along a slightly different track. I read through the Mutate ability verbiage and I wasn't able to find anything that states what type of action it is. Like if it is a Standard, swift, move, ect... For anyone willing to help me look into this here is the wording for the ability:
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Mutate (Su): At 1st level, as a result of repeated exposure to her mutagens, the master chymist can now assume a mutagenic form twice per day without imbibing her mutagen. In this form, she gains all the bonuses and penalties of her mutagen and adds together her alchemist and master chymist levels together to determine her effective alchemist level for the duration of this form. Using a mutagen also forces the chymist into this form. Taking a mutagen or using the mutate ability again while in her mutagenic form works normally (with the new mutagen's modifiers replacing the current modifiers, and the longer duration taking precedent). The chymist remains in her mutagenic form until its duration expires, her magic is interrupted (as with an antimagic field), or she expends another use of her mutate ability.
A chymist may be forced to take her mutagenic form against her will by stress or damage. Anytime the character is in her normal form and has daily uses of the mutate ability available, she may be forced to switch after suffering a critical hit or failing a Fortitude save. In these situations the chymist must make a DC 25 Will save; if she fails, on her next turn she uses a standard action to change to her mutagenic form (which counts as a use of the mutate ability).
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The only type of action I see is if the chymist takes a critical hit or fails a fort save. That forces the chymist to use a standard action to transform. But I don't see anywhere else what type of action must be taken to transform at will. I think it might be a standard action for any situation, but without it being clearly written I wonder if anyone else sees it differently. Like if transforming at will is a free action.
Alchemist: What kind of action is it to use an extract, mutagen, or throw a bomb?
It is a standard action to use an extract, mutagen, or throw a bomb. This action includes retrieving the necessary materials from the alchemist's supplies, in the same manner as retrieving a material component is included in the act of spellcasting.
That's to use a mutagen. Mutate gives you the benefits of your mutagen, but you don't imbibe it like you normally would a mutagen. It's a separate ability. That's where my confusion lies.
Unless stated otherwise, all supernatural abilities are standard actions.
EDIT: Forgot to add source, it's under the list of standard actions that can be made in combat.
Thanks, much appreciated!